Maundy Pennies

[TomGoodheart]

So, this is how I understand it.

By the 1820s there was no demand for a piddly little silver penny and probably little interest in a silver half-groat (2d) either, apart from the traditional annual Maundy giving. Consequently special issues of 1,2,3 and 4ds were minted annually for that purpose.

However prior to the 1800s (and contrary to what the RM website says) I can't see that there was any difference between a 'Maundy' penny and a regular currency silver penny. It's just that people have fallen into the habit of calling all small denomination (4d and below) milled silver 'Maundy' money.

Or am I wrong and there are distinguising features to, say a 1750 penny that can be used to determine whether it was struck as a currency piece or not?

[declanwmagee]

It's difficult enough with Victoria threepences, Tom! On more than one occasion I've ended up concluding that the UNC 3d I just bought was Maundy when it turned up, which is usually a disappointment.

[TomGoodheart]

It's difficult enough with Victoria threepences, Tom! On more than one occasion I've ended up concluding that the UNC 3d I just bought was Maundy when it turned up, which is usually a disappointment.

So can you explain the features that lead you to that Stuart? Because it's all new (and confusing) to me! Surely currency 3ds would far outnumber Maundy ones?

The reason I ask is that ..ahem, someone - entirely unknown to me though luckily it's just the sort of thing I will appreciate - has bought me one of the RM 'lucky' silver pennies for Christmas. And if I did know about such a thing, well, I might just start thinking of buying a few more silver pennies .. as a sort of side line. Not that I do know of course. Which makes it most coincidental I happen to be posting this thread, but well, synchronicity and all that ..

And if that makes sense to anyone, well done! Because I'm not sure I'm following this, but ...

And I have yet to have a glass of anything alcoholic today. Most odd!

Perhaps I'm channeling Peter? Now there's a worrying thought ..

[Peckris]

It's difficult enough with Victoria threepences, Tom! On more than one occasion I've ended up concluding that the UNC 3d I just bought was Maundy when it turned up, which is usually a disappointment.

So can you explain the features that lead you to that Stuart? Because it's all new (and confusing) to me! Surely currency 3ds would far outnumber Maundy ones?

One of my bugbears, this. Yes, they would, even the scarce dates. And considering they are absolutely identical apart from finish, why the h*ll are currency specimens worth so much more?????

[declanwmagee]

So can you explain the features that lead you to that Stuart?

Well, Dave...

I don't suppose this is any help at all, but:

Currency to the left, Maundy to the right.

I suspect the lighting of the two photos is so different because the poor camera was trying to make sense of the "proof-iness" of the Maundy, so squeezed down the aperture a bit. It's the same blue background in both shots (Groom's bronze book!).

The Maundy is very mirror-like in the hand. Doesn't quite look like a proper coin, unlike the currency, which just looks like any other high grade silver coin. If you laid out all the Jubilee Head threepences I've got, the Maundy would stick out like a sore thumb.

[Coinery]

It's difficult enough with Victoria threepences, Tom!

So can you explain the features that lead you to that Stuart?

I have yet to have a glass of anything alcoholic today.

Perhaps I'm channeling Peter?

Are you SURE you haven't, and SURE you're not?

[Peter]

It's difficult enough with Victoria threepences, Tom! On more than one occasion I've ended up concluding that the UNC 3d I just bought was Maundy when it turned up, which is usually a disappointment.

So can you explain the features that lead you to that Stuart? Because it's all new (and confusing) to me! Surely currency 3ds would far outnumber Maundy ones?

The reason I ask is that ..ahem, someone - entirely unknown to me though luckily it's just the sort of thing I will appreciate - has bought me one of the RM 'lucky' silver pennies for Christmas. And if I did know about such a thing, well, I might just start thinking of buying a few more silver pennies .. as a sort of side line. Not that I do know of course. Which makes it most coincidental I happen to be posting this thread, but well, synchronicity and all that ..

And if that makes sense to anyone, well done! Because I'm not sure I'm following this, but ...

And I have yet to have a glass of anything alcoholic today. Most odd!

Perhaps I'm channeling Peter? Now there's a worrying thought ..

We have a dry house as...maybe I need some wine to reach the snowy peaks of your logic

[Coinery]

Yes, he's not getting off lightly with that one, is he chaps?

[declanwmagee]

Yes, he's not getting off lightly with that one, is he chaps?

them hippies all look the same to me anyway...

[TomGoodheart]

Are you SURE you haven't, and SURE you're not?

Er ... not right now Stuart. Definitely confused. And not just by Maundy coins either!

And .. sorry Declan!! Not quite sure what happened there! But the photos and 'proofiness' explanation helps, so thank you.

[Coinery]

I was having a browse through ESC this morning, and reading page 201 sheds a little more light on your question.

I've attached a rubbish iPhone image, not sure how readable it is, but may be enough to justify digging it out???

Oh, hang on, how do I add an iPhone image, when using an iPhone?

[Coinery]

Ok, found out how, but can't resize it!

Have you got an ESC, TG, will upload the page from the laptop if not?

[TomGoodheart]

No I don't have one Stuart. (I photocopied a few pages that were of interest many years ago, but not that one!) If you are able to attach a pic, that would be brilliant!

Thanks!

[Coinery]

Sorry for the delay...and all credit of course due to: P. Alan, Raynor (1992) English Silver Coinage Since 1649 [5th ed.] pg.201, Seaby, London. (as far as I can remember from my UNI days,using the Harvard System?)

[TomGoodheart]

Brilliant! Thanks!